Podcasts are one of the most engaging innovations to communicate effectively in an enterprise. They are far more engaging than sifting through an endless stream of emails.
An internal comms podcast lets you approach communication with your team from a different perspective, as it’s also a great way to send updates and distribute knowledge. Podcasts can also be used for training and professional development so employees can learn new skills or improve their current skill sets.
Here are some tips for creating an engaging internal comms podcast in your company.
Plan your content for engaging podcasts
Consistency in publishing your internal comms pro podcast is crucial to keeping your employees’ attention. Whether you create the same content series once a month or every week, a schedule will help you get the most out of your internal comms podcast and create higher involvement.
If your podcast is for your team, then knowing your audience is the most important part. Get connected with your company’s employees, staff and leaders to find relatable content and start creating an internal comms podcast culture.
When planning, create an outline before recording to provide a framework for each episode and help yourself keep track of the content you want to cover in future episodes.
Find the right recording equipment
You don’t need to set up a professional studio within your company to create an engaging internal comms podcast. You can use your headphones, or you can purchase a microphone with a foam windscreen and a pop filter for higher-quality audio.
If you’re using Podbean’s enterprise podcast service, which offers quick recording and editing, you can create high-quality podcasts without expensive gear or vast technical knowledge. Just be sure your voice is clear, and there are no distracting noises in the background to ruin the flow.
Consider the format of your internal comms pro podcast
Consider the purpose, format, topics and tone. For example, you can conduct a conversational interview with an inspirational manager about overcoming obstacles to motivate teams in the enterprise. Simple ideas like this can help you to build your episode’s tone, format, topic and purpose.
Some of the most engaging podcasts follow these formats and topics:
One host, one topic
Focusing on one idea in each podcast episode with a host will increase the effectiveness of the podcast. It will give your employees a focal point and a condensed message to leave with when they finish the episode.
Also, since you’re the main director, you don’t have to rely on anyone else when creating your content. Try telling a story for an engaging internal comms podcast. A good story boosts engagement and adds a personal touch.
Company news
Send updates to your employees by giving them the company news headlines and a daily bulletin. You can also invite another colleague to share important news from the company or the latest industry trends.
A co-hosted format can provide support for the main host and make the conversation flow while serving an engaging listening experience. Using internal comms podcasts for sharing news and knowledge in a company is very effective, especially in enterprises where employees aren’t in the office, such as with remote workers or employees working in the field.
By listening to engaging podcasts on a planned schedule, they can stay up-to-date and feel like part of the company. It’s important that everybody is on the same page about the company’s updates and knows about any actions they need to take.
Sharing news via a podcast is also a fantastic way to engage with new employees, ease their transition and help them get familiar with the company’s daily flow.
The Interview show
For corporate communication purposes, the interview format is a great way to make sure your employees feel included. Internal podcasts can be a platform for people to share their own stories, experiences and challenges from their professional lives to help others.
By interviewing an employee or leader in the company, you give people an opportunity to have a voice. While these interviews can inspire other employees, they can also offer other team members guidance and tips that can help them increase productivity in their current position.
Thinking of creating interview-style content? Also, consider whether you want to invite one specific guest or multiple guests at once for each podcast episode.
Spotlight employees
Featuring your employees and teammates on the internal comms pro podcast not only makes them feel included but also motivates them to continue to improve.
By giving them a platform to talk about the things they love about their jobs, they will feel highly engaged and appreciated. This type of internal comms pro podcast series will ignite team spirit and collaboration while also making them feel like they’re part of the company’s story.
To increase engagement and involvement, keeping all levels of staff connected is a good way to reinforce camaraderie and teamwork. Invite those in executive or management positions, such as the CEO, to be guests for an enterprise podcast to break the mystery around them and boost transparency.
Use the power of audio to create an intimate medium
Podcasts can help to hold employees’ attention for longer, which makes them a powerful medium. They are more engaging than other internal communication tools such as emails, announcement boards or newsletters.
Text-based tools are demanding and time-consuming in a fast-paced business environment. How often have you rewritten an email to avoid miscommunications? A personal and engaging internal podcast helps you reflect on what you mean by allowing you to express your tone of voice.
Even if employees cannot attend the meeting, they can catch up by listening to a private podcast series. Podbean, as an authoritative podcasting host, offers an innovative platform for uninterrupted communication and gets the upper hand over traditional tools.
Follow the metrics and feedback
Businesses and managers love stats. You can show statistics to executive managers to prove your content is engaging and employees are following along. For example, the podcast hosting platform, Podbean, provides its users with a podcast statistics overview where you can find user interaction, most popular episodes, downloads per episode etc.
Data in the trending chart will help you can understand what topics resonate with the employees, and these analytics will help you create more engaging podcasts in the future.
You can also ask for feedback from your employees directly to see what format and content they prefer.
Conclusion
Creating internal comms podcasts can boost employee engagement organically. Internal comms podcasts can help to ensure that a company’s employees feel connected and involved. Podcasts are a personal communication medium that can help to inform, train, and increase productivity.
As an internal communicator, you compete for your employees’ attention with other media sources and communication tools. Using an internal comms pro podcast can help you effectively communicate, educate, and grow your business while spreading your company culture and enhancing communication.
A corporate podcast is beneficial for companies that are growing and transitioning towards more flexible ways of working.
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